Portable illuminating device



A 'ril 26, 1960 Original Filed June 22, 1956 WING G. CHENG PORTABLEILLUMINATING DEVICE FIG.|

2 Sheets-Shet 1 5 5 Z mvsm'on w Ge Chang April 6, 1960 WING e. CHENG2,934,635

PORTABLE ILLUMINATING DEVICE Qriginal Filed June 22, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR w Gee Cheng ATTORNEYS United States i 1 2,934,635 PORTABLEILLUMINATING DEVICE Wing G. Cheng, Kowloon, Hong Kong, assignor to MeyerManufacturing Company Limited, Kowloon, Hong Kong Original applicationJune 22, 1956, Serial No. 593,254;

now Patent No. 2,900,493, dated August 18, 1959. D1-

vided and this application May 10, 1957, Serial No. 658,417

Claims priority, application Great Britain November 9, 1955 I 7 Claims.(Cl. 240-10.)

the lamp bulbs so that the device can be used when desired either as anordinary electric torch or by standing the device on one end as a tablelamp the lower end then being extinguished whilst the lamp at the topend in illuminated. g

The object of the present invention is to provide a device of the kindreferred to which can also be used either as a hand torch or as a tablelamp and in which the construction, is such that the overall, length canbe reduced when the device is being carried, as when it is being used asa hand torch. 1

With the foregoing object in view a portable electric illuminatingdevice of the kind referred to made in accordance with the presentinvention comprises a tubular body, two transverse partitions disposedrespectively adjacent the two ends of said tubular body to divide theinterior thereof into a central battery receiving compartment and twoend compartments, two lamp bulbs mounted, respectively, one in each ofsaid two end compartrnents, one of said lamp bulbs being intended foruse as a table lamp, means comprising a movable switch member forselectively connecting either of said two lamp bulbs to the batterylocated in said central compartment of said tubular body, or fordisconnecting both of said lampbulbs from said battery, a translucentcap in which said table lamp bulb is fixedly mounted, means for slidablymounting said translucent cap with said table lamp bulb mounted thereininto and out of the end compartment, in which said table lamp ismounted, and means for limiting the movement of said translucent capinto and out of said end compartment. One construction of portableelectric illuminating device of the kind referred to made in accordancewith the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

-Fig. 1 is a viewin elevation partly in section illustrating the deviceadjusted'for use as a table lamp;

FigI 2 is a similar view but showing the device as 'adjusted for use asa handtorch, and

, Fig. .3 is a cross section taken on line III-III, Fig.1. The deviceillustrated in the drawings comprises a substantially'cylindrical body 1of aluminum or other suitable metal, one end of which is flared orextended to form a base or foot. This end of the body 1 is provided witha ring member 2 of moulded plastic or other suitable material serving tosecure in position a lens or cover glass 3 and a parabolic reflector 4,the ring member 2 being Patented Apr. 2 6, 1960 screw threaded into theflared lower end of the body 1 as indicated.

A screw threaded metal lamp shell 5 is mounted in the apex of thereflector 4 and encloses a plastic lamp bulb holder 6 for the lower lampbulb 7. When this lamp bulb is in positionin the holder 6, its outerterminal or shell 5 is in electrical contact with the reflector, 4,while the centre pin or terminal or the lamp bulb abuts against a metaldisc v8 mounted on the lower face of a plastic cup 9. As shown moreclearly in Fig. 3 the'cup 9 is secured in-the body 1 by rivets 10 andthe disc 8 is provided with a stamped out tongue 11 engaging with thecentral pin of the lamp bulb 7.

A metal strip 12 is mounted on the upper face of the cup v9, thepositive terminal or stud 13 of a dry battery 14 contained in the body 1abutting against the strip 12. The disc 8' and the strip 12 areelectrically connected together and secured to the cup 9 by means ofrivets and the side wall of the cup 9 has a rectangular slot, as shownin Fig. 3, to accommodate a metal slider 15, which is arranged to makeelectrical contact in one of, its extreme positions with the reflector4, or, in its other extreme position with the disc 8, the slider, whenin its intermediate position, notaffecting either of these contacts.

The opposite end of thetubular body is fitted with a tubular metalextension 40 having an external screw thread at one end which engageswith an internal screw thread 41 near the end of the tubular body 1. Theinner end of this tubular extension is closed by a plastic cup 42 havinga central aperture 43 and having secured to its under surface anunapertured metal cup 44. The outer edge of the extension 40 is turnedover inwardly as shown at 45. Slidably mounted inside the extension 40is a cup 17 made of insulating material and secured to acylindricalcap16 of transparent plastic or other suitable material, thiscap constituting a shade or lens for a lamp bulb 19, the metal shell orouter terminal of which is screw threaded into a metal shell or socket22 which is electrically connected to the wall of the extension 40 bymeans of a metal contact strip 32 secured to the side of the cap 17 by arivet 30, the head of which projects.

beyond the strip 32. A metal contact plate 18 is secured to the innersurface of the cup 17 the arrangement being such that when the lamp 19is screwed into its socket 22 the inner terminal of the lamp is inelectric contact with the plate 18.

The cap 16 and cup 17 and parts carried thereby are slidingly mounted inthe extension 40 and are constantly pressed. into the extended positionshown in Fig. 1 by a spring 20 one end of which bears against the plate18 and the other end of which penetrates the aperture 43 in the cup andbears against the outer surface of the contact plate 18. The slidablymounted parts referred to can be retracted into the extension 40 againstthe spring pressure and held in this retracted position by engagement ofthe projecting head of the rivet in an aperture '31. In the constructionillustrated two such apertures 31 are provided and disposeddiametrically opposite each other, the second aperture 31being engagedin the retracted position by'a second rivet 30 not shown in thedrawings.Outward movement of the slidable parts in the extended position islimited by contact between a shoulder formed on the outer periphery ofthe cup 17 and the'turned over end 45 of the extension 40.

, A second spring 46 is disposed so as to hear at one end against theinne'rlsurface of the cup44 and against the negative terminal of thebattery 14.

push button or knob 26 being slidably mounted on the casing 25. Withinthe casing 25 is a spring member 27 having a projection at its centre.The button 26 is provided with two arms 28, 29 (see Fig. 3) which extendthrough slots in the casing 25 and are secured to the slider which isoperated by the button 26.

The outer surface of the cylindrical body 1 isformed with a plurality offine vertically extending flutes or grooves 33 interrupted by relativelywide and smooth vertical bands 34 and circumferential bands 35, which,in addition to providing an attractive appearance, also enable a goodslip-free hand grip.

' The operation of the device is as follows:

When the device is not in use and neither lamp is illuminated the pushbutton 26 is in a neutral position intermediate the two on positionsshown respectively in Figs. 1 and 2. When the push button is movedtowards the cylindrical extension 40 into the on position to illuminatethe lamp 19 for use as a table lamp, i.e. in the position shown in Fig.1, the circuit of the lamp 19 is completed from the positive terminal 13of the battery 14, through the strip 11 and disc 8, the slider 15, thebody 1, extension 40, strip 32, socket 22, the outer shell of the lamp19, the lamp filament, the inner lamp terminal, the plate 18, spring 20,metal cup 44, and the spring 46 to the negative terminal of the battery14.

When on the other hand the device is to be used in the ordinary way as ahand torch the push button is moved in the opposite direction into theposition shown in Fig. 2, so that a circuit is completed from thepositive terminal 13 of the battery 14, through contact strip 12, disc8, the central pin of lamp 7, the lamp filament, the outer shell ofthelamp, reflector 4, slider 15, strip 23, cup 44, and spring 46 to thenegative'terminal of the battery 14.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A portable electric illuminating device comprising a tubular body,two transverse partitions disposed respectively adjacent the two ends ofsaid tubular body to divide the interior thereof into a central batteryreceiving compartment and two end compartments, two lamp bulbs mounted,respectively, one in each of said two end compartments, one of said lampbulbs being intended for use as a table lamp, means comprising a movableswitch member having two on positions and an off position forselectively connecting either of said two lamp bulbs to the batterylocated in said central compartment of said tubular body, or fordisconnecting both of said lamp bulbs from said battery, a translucentcap in which said table lamp bulb is fixedly mounted, means for slidablymounting said translucent cap with said table lamp bulb mounted thereininto and out of the end compartment in which said table lamp is mounted,and means for limiting the movement of said translucent cap into and outof said end compartment.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a lamp bulb supportmember secured to the inner end of said cap so as to be movabletherewith and means for mounting said table lamp bulb on said supportmemher.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a cup shaped lampbulb support member made of insulating material secured to the inner endof said cap so as to be movable therewith, said support member beingformed with a tapped aperture to receive said table lamp bulb, and meansfor retaining said cap and said support member in the retractedposition.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which said table lamp bulb isformed with a screw-threaded shell, further comprising a cup shaped lampbulb support member made of insulating material secured to the inner endof said cup-shaped member and at least one aperture in the wall of saidtubular body, which aperture is engaged by said projection when saidtable lamp bulb is in the fully retracted position.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 also comprising a cup-shaped lamp bulbsupport member secured to the inner end of said cap so as to be movabletherewith and further in which said means for limiting the movement ofsaid translucent cap into and out of said end compartment comprises atleast one stop depending from the open end of said tubular body, saidstop being disposed so as to be contacted by' said cup-shaped memberwhen the latter is in its outermost position.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 also comprising a cup-shaped lamp bulbsupport member secured to the inner end of said cap so as to be movabletherewith and further in which said means for limiting the movement ofsaid translucent cap into and out of said end compartment comprises atleast one stop depending from the open end of said tubular body, saidstop being disposed so as to be contacted by said cup-shaped member whenthe latter is in its outermost position, and further comprising springmeans for pressing said cup-shaped member against said stop when saidcup-shaped member is in its outermost position, said spring meansforming part of the electric circuit between said dry battery and saidtable lamp bulb, and means for electrically connecting said table lampbulb to the casing of said tubular member.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 also comprising a cup-shaped lamp bulbsupport member secured to the inner end of said cap so as to be movabletherewith and further in which said table lamp bulb is formed with ascrew threaded shell and said means for limiting the movement of saidtranslucent cap into and out of said end compartment comprises at leastone stop depending from the open end of said tubular body, said stopbeing disposed so as to be contacted by said cup-shaped member .when thelatter is inits outermost position, and further comprising spring meansfor pressing said cup-shaped member against said stop when said cupshaped member is in its outermost position, said spring means formingpart of the electric circuit between said dry battery and said tablelamp bulb, and means for electrically connecting said table lamp bulb tothe casing of said tubular member, said last mentioned means comprisinga first electric contact strip in contact with the shell of said lamp,and a second electric contact strip secured on said cup-shapedinsulating member so as to be in electrical contact with said firstcontact strip and with the casing of said tubular member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,674,650 I Leser June 26, 1928 2,049,762 Darling et al. Aug. 4, 19362,181,447 Ayotte et al Nov. 28, 1939 2,212,103 Rothenberg et al Aug. 20,1940 2,538,332 Schaefer Jan. 16, 1951 2,681,979 Manolofi June 22, 19542,796,515 Waskie June 18, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,045,860 France July 1,1953 700,958 Great Britain Dec. 16, 1953

